Detachable trowel-handle.



PATENTED SEPT. l, 1903.

P. H. PERAUD. DETAOHABLE TROWEL HANDLE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 1903.,

N0 MODEL.

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Q/Vikmcmeb UNITED STATES iatented September 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

DETACHABLE TROWEL-HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 737,831, datedSeptember 1, 1903. pplication filed February 2, 1908. Serial No.141,546. (No model.)

To (all whom it put concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. FERAUD, a citizen of the Republic ofFrance, residing at Granite, in the county of Madison and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDetachable Trowel- Handles, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements indetachable handles for trowels; and it has for its objects, amongothers, to provide a simple and cheap construction whereby one handle mabe made to serve for a variety of shapes of trowels. It is a well-knownfact that a complete set of molders tools embraces several diiferentshapes of trowels, some thick, some thin, some round, others square, andof other forms and each being provided with a handlewhich makes the kitbulky. By my improvementone handle serves for all of the difierent formsof blades, and the latter can be packed in small compass or carried inthe pocket. Furthermore, by my invention if the blade or other part ofthe trowel becomes broken or worn out it can be replaced at smallexpense. The handle can be readily applied to either form of blade andas quickly and easily re moved therefrom when desired.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part ofthis specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showinga portion of the blade with the handle attached. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of a portion of the blade, showing the dovetailed socket therein.Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the handle located in position. Fig.4 is a similar view with the handle unlocked from the blade. Fig. 5 is aperspective View of the lever detached. Fig. 6 is a perspective View ofthe spring and its legs detached. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of aportion of the shank.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, 1 designates a blade of atrowel to which the detachable handle is to be applied. At one end thisblade is formed with a raised portion 2, having the dovetailed socket 3,in which the correspondingly-shaped foot or extension 4 on the shank 5is designed to be slidingly engaged. The shank 5 is provided with thetang 6, upon which is secured a bandle 7 of any well-known form ofconstruction. The shank 5 is provided with the ears or lugs 8, havingthe openings 9, in which is pivotally mounted upon a pivot 10 theopposite side bars 11 of a plate 12, having the openings 13 for thereception of such pivot and openings 14 for a purpose soon to bedescribed. The back or rear ends of the side portions 11 are providedwith the downwardlyextending lugs or teeth 15, which are designed toengage in the notches 16 in the opposite side portions of the dovetailedsocket 3 in the end of the plate 1, as seen best in Fig. 3.

17 is a spring-plate attached at 18 to the cross portion of the plate12, as seen clearly in Figs. 3, 4, and 6, and its upper end is bent, asat 19, to contact with the inner face of the shank 5.

20 is a lever, the side portions of which are provided at their lowerextremities with the rounded corners 21 and openings 22 for thereception of a pivot 23, which passes also through the openings 14 ofthe said bars 11 of the plate 12, as seen clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. 24represents tongues or projections on the lower ends of the side bars ofthis lever, as seen clearly in Figs. 1 and 5.

The parts constructed as above described are assembled, as shown, theplate 12 being pivotally mounted on the shank 5 and the lever 20pivotally mounted on the plate 12. The parts, as shown in Fig. 4, areunlocked and ready for application to or removal from the blade. Thelever 20 is pressed outward that is, with its upper end away from theshank and the projections 24 bearing on the foot of the shank, thusraising up the plate 12, so that its teeth or projections 1.5 are out ofengagement with the notches 16. In this position the lever is under thepressure of the spring 17, and as soon as the fingers are re moved fromthe lever the spring causes it to fly back into the position in which itis seen in Fig. 3, when the teeth or projections 15 ICO engage in thenotches 16 and the handle is firmly locked in position, the dovetailedfoot 4 of course being engaged in the dovetailed socket 3 in the end ofthe blade. The upper end of the lever 20 may be made so proportionedrelatively to the size of the shank 5' that when it is in the positionseen in Figs. 1 and 3 it will engage the shank with sufficient force toprevent its shaking. The lever 20 may be readily compressed outward bypres sure on the upper end thereof with the thumb while the otherfingers of the same hand hold the handle.

The teeth 15 are always kept in a constant pressure in the notches 16 bythe spring 17, thus keeping'the blade from shaking when in position onthe handle. Furthermore, if a great strain is produced on the trowel thespring 17 will give up a little and as soon as pressure is removed thespring and the teeth will take their former places. If a rigid lock wereused and the trowel were pressed,it would bend the locking device, whichwould stay bent when the pressure is removed. This objection, however,is overcome by the employment of the spring.

' Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is 1. In a trowel, a blade having a socket, ahandle having a foot to engage said socket,

and spring-actuated means carried by the handle for locking the same tothe blade.

2. In a trowel, a blade having a socket, a handle having a foot toengage said socket, a plate pivotally mounted onthe handle, and a leverpivotally mounted on the plate.

3. In a trowel, a blade having a socket, a handle having a foot toengagesaid socket, a plate pivotally mounted on the handle, alever pivotallymounted on the plate, and a spring interposed between the shank andlover.

4. In a trowel, a blade having a socket with notches, a handle having afoot to engage the socket, and means carried by the handle to engagesaid notches.

5. In a trowel, a blade having a socket with notches, a handle having ashank with a foot to engage said socket,a plate pivotally mounted on theshank and having projections to engage said notches, and a leverpivotally mounted on said plate.

6. In a trowel, a blade having a socket with notches, a handle having ashank with a foot to engage said socket,a plate pivotally mounted on theshank and having projections to engage said notches, a lever pivotallymounted on said plate, and a spring carried by said plate and engagingthe shank.

7. In a trowel, a blade having a socket with notches, a handle having ashank with a foot to engage said s0cket,a plate pivotally mounted on theshank and having projections to engage said notches, a lever pivotallymounted on said plate, and a spring carried by said plate and engagingthe shank, said lever having projections to raise said plate and itsteeth from engagement with said notches.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK H. FERAUD.

Witnesses:

J. L. FERAUD, O. F. MCDUFFEE.

